Tony's Fabby VRS ..an ongoing project

[fabialousvrs]

Greetings...

So I acquired Ivan the VRS in Feb 2014, after parting company with a E90 330d M Sport. Some drop down in terms of build quality, however the BMW was just that little bit too thirsty... plus, I couldn't modify it really unless you ask for more power and silly size wheels. I couldn't care a t*ss about build quality, I'm a fan of buying a car for its engine, and that alone. 

I've owned 2 GT TDI Golf Mk4's in the past, both ASZ 130bhp engines, ever reliable and faultless to own. (I know... I must have been lucky!!)

So I always fancied a Skoda Fabia VRS, and its not a bad purchase for a smidge over 3k.......

It's Black, has full black & white leather, 90k, Cruise Control... and one of the last Mk 1's (56 plate), has a Jabba printout at 161bhp. (although I dispute this, My last Golf mk4 gt gti ran 180hp and was waaaaaaay quicker!). Rolling roads are garbage, usually over-read by some margin. I reckon it's around or just under 150bhp, so unlikely to be remapped. In fact, I know it isn't. It would have a wall of torque instantaneously! I've fully serviced it myself shortly after taking delivery, with the best oil and filters. I never skimp on quality. She's fully healthy but some small improvements needed on suspension.

I've found some little surprises along the way, it's been previously installed with a bit of ICE... still the remnants of an Alpine Crossover unit hidden behind the drivers leather doorcard. Clearly, the old headunit had a big screen or something more pallatable than the drab standard radio. Still... sounds good with the additional upgraded Alpine speakers.

Anyway.. enough rabbiting, here she is. excuse the baby seat.

 

 

 

 

After I serviced it, I set to work to sort the minging brakes. These things had been on since new (original Ferodo pads removed). The rears were bladdered! Before you ask, I've just received some nice Kawasaki Green for the calipers. I hate the mid-grass green calipers... they need to be a bit funkier. Pics to come when I've painted them...

 

 

Time for some new discs....

 

 

And fitted....

 

 

More to come shortly... had a wee accident fitting the fronts...  :-(

[fabialousvrs]

Some sh*tty stickers to bling it up a bit...

 

 

Yep.. you guessed it. I stripped the thread on the knuckle. After a short wait, I received a Helicoil pack M12 / 1.5, with the drill bit, tap etc. It was all going well.. until my drill jumped out my hand on full chat, breaking 2 fingers (not long back from A&E). I carried on without any strapping, threaded the new hole and Helicoiled..

Ouch!

 

Still, I managed to wash & wax the Fab when I came back from the hospital 

 

I bought 2 LEDS from USA, after reading the wing mirror puddle light thread on the Mk2 Fabia. Now this was something I did on a car I owned 4 years ago... an E39 530d Sport. My forum name... waftingtony 

 

http://forum.bmw5.co.uk/topic/46807-door-handle-lights-retro-fitting/

 

So something similar is coming... i've done some measuring / thinking / and needed to have a nose behind the door card...

Note the Alpine crossover...

 

 

I've partly stripped back the interior red puddle light feed, as I will tap into this. Positioning the LED's will be tricky, however after removing the door handle, I've settled with going key-hole-less! So another black magic blank will be sought. Unfortunately, The door handle proved to be very sticky on removal, and I damaged the bracket on the inside. This will mean drilling out the b&st*rd rivets and removing the main door casing, to fit the replacement bracket that came yesterday. PITA!!!

I'll be going down the bolt route to replace the rivets anyway, there was a slight leak from the sponge barrier so bolting up would have been a possibility in the future. Having said that, I removed both door cards of the rears and used the strongest gutter sealant you can buy around the door seal. There was evidence of damp carpet previously.

 

Once my hand has healed, I'll get back on it    

Minor mod yesterday.. fitted the Heko wind deflectors. Love 'em!

 

To come soon...  

Painting the calipers Kawasaki Green... Outer Door handle LED's (front only, but will put on the rears if I like!)

New Shock absorbers & Lowering springs (then the usual route of Rear ARB, front SeatSport strut brace)

[gfwc]

Great work so far, car looks lovely.

Nice to have one with the super rare leathers!

[fabialousvrs]

I'm not smitten on the leathers.... they look nice, however... as much have discussed, they lack any real bolster support. They have little hand pumps to inflate the sides. It does help hug you a little, they still are a little low rent but very hard wearing. Seeing as I'm stepping out of a what was £35k BMW with Nappa leather, there is a considerable difference in softness and feel..

They suit the interior though, and for now, they will stay. Betcha I'd get a frenzy if I put them up for sale! :sun:

[Dark_Hero]

Looks to be seat surgeons leather. Nice touch

[fabialousvrs]

I forgot to mention, this is my commuting car so I won't be making this a track project... I do 50 miles a day on the motorway :-(

 

I have however, installed a Powerflex red dogbone bush a month ago (65 shore rating). Opinions? Like everyone else... it moves the issue away from the top engine mounts temporarily, as they need doing soon. It cured the engine shake, to a degree, because both the top bushes are weakening. I'm happy enough with it, however it does increase cabin vibration. There are some days, the keys jangle, some days they don't... kinda weird!

[fabialousvrs]

Ok... Been a bit busy of late, but I finally manage to get started on removing the door carrier, drilling out the rivets and fixing the drivers door handle. Easy peasy to do, just required a bit of patience, one or two ciggies and several brews. I won't spare you the gory details of the drilling out, simple stuff. Very strong self tapping screws in place, and highest power gutter sealant around the base and old holes to ensure no leaks ( it wasn't leaking anyway).

I had ordered a black magic blank from a mk4 golf, it came so I got busy installing my LED outer door handle lights....

The drilling is a careful process involving using tiny drill sizes (3/4/5) to ensure you don't snap anything, on a slow speed.

You don't see any rough edges, as the led bolt sits flush. They are obtained from here......

http://www.oznium.com/led-bolt

Pictures all taken with my htc one m8

Here they are on the car, tapped into the inner puddle light.

As you can see, it's barely visible. You cannot see it at all side on, due to the shallow lip the led has. Waterproof as well!

Now, there's not a lot of room for the Led to fit...and it is tricky. But I succeeded..... I love the results.

By the way, if anyone wants this doing... PM me ;-)

A recent 26 mile commute got my this mpg on m6/m56.....

Generally averaging 72-76mpg though at the moment. Driving like a vicar in the mornings reaps it's rewards. Plus, when I want to have fun the car feels even faster !

Edited 25 April, 2014 by fabialousvrs

[fabialousvrs]

A few more pics as it went darker. Pictures don't do it justice, bright enough to see the puddles (it was raining too lol) and nice cool glow around the outside. Gonna have to change my interior festoons to cool white now to match!

Anyone thinking of getting the htc one m8, the flash is extremely bright!

Think you get the idea. I'll be doing the passenger side this weekend. Then tackle the rear doors too, if i think it's necessary.

[fabialousvrs]

Passenger side leds complete... I've made a how-to guide that will hopefully get pinned if seen as useful.

[Sam84]

Looks good! I got power to my rear door cards by tapping into loom at front and running a wire to B piller and into rear door.

[fabialousvrs]

Yeah... That's likely the route I will take to sort the rears with leds. Best order some more from ozium.com

[Guest BigJase88]

Nice car but please ditch those brembo stickers.

Nothing worse than a fake sticker / badge

[Guest BigJase88]

Oh and the rear discs are running the wrong way. The idea of the grooves is to throw dust out. So groove should hit inner area of pad first if that makes sense

Basically you need to swap left and right discs over

[fabialousvrs]

For non fast-road use, makes no difference. If I decide to track, I'll swap em round. I like the stickers, they look great :-)subtle bling

Edited 12 May, 2014 by fabialousvrs

[Guest BigJase88]

But it doesn't have brembo's?

Its like putting V8 badge on? It isn't a V8 and they ain't brembo's?

This is allowed a brembo sticker

Its like the guy i pulled up beside the other week. He had those fake brembo brake caliper stick on things from ebay over some tiny calipers and discs. Looked hilarious

[fabialousvrs]

Its like putting a Sport bumper on... When it's not an M Sport.

It's like putting a rear lip spoiler on... When it's not an M Sport.

Its like saying my car is fast... When it's not an M Sport.

The discs where from Brembo, the calipers are standard. If it's ok, politely stick to your own build thread.

[Guest BigJase88]

Okay but imo your completely off on that one

[fabialousvrs]

A real M Sport which I owned before the Fabia. 330d.. try one.

[fabialousvrs]

Still can't work out if I should do the rears on the Fabia, like the shining all 4 doors on my old car.

[fabialousvrs]

But it doesn't have brembo's?

Its like putting V8 badge on? It isn't a V8 and they ain't brembo's?

This is allowed a brembo sticker

Its like the guy i pulled up beside the other week. He had those fake brembo brake caliper stick on things from ebay over some tiny calipers and discs. Looked hilarious

Ruined on rattle-canned S3 wheels

[Guest BigJase88]

A real M Sport which I owned before the Fabia. 330d.. try one.

Calm down on the insults

My old boy has a 335d and i do drive it now and again

Maybe you should try one?

I still can't for the life of me understand how i can locate the door handle at night.

Edited 17 May, 2014 by BigJase88

[Guest BigJase88]

Ruined on rattle-canned S3 wheels

Better

They were powdercoated with flake in them actually but the previous owner likes curbs

[fabialousvrs]

Much better wheels :-)

[AshVrs]

I was just about to do some major trolling and say "it isn't a porsche so why put porsche wheels on it" lol sorry guys couldn't resist :-)

sent from my Galaxy Note 3

[fabialousvrs]

Brilliant... And all in my journal. Heh